Saitou and Kaoru: tale of a Blanket and a battle
by Daimyo Shi
Summary: Saitou and Kaoru get stuck in a Mountian cabin and have to share a blanket
1. one blanket, two people

Saitou and Kaoru: Blanket Scenario   
  


By Daimyo Shi

Disclaimer: All rights and privileges to Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shuiesha, Sony Music Entertainment, and associated parties. The characters of this series are used without his permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit.   
Comments are greatly appreciated!!! 

The Blanket Scenario 

The situation: two (or more) Rurouni Kenshin characters trapped overnight in a single-room cabin in  
the middle of a blizzard. Its so cold that falling asleep uncovered will undoubtedly cause hypothermia.   
One blanket. 

Your assignment: create a scenario for posting. Idea From Chelsea Deanne See her site here

posted

  
  


[] indicate thoughts from Kaoru {} indicate thoughts from Saitou.

Saitou took a drag on on his cigarette. He looked around the plain cabin.

"Saitou are we going to stay here? Asked a concerned looking Kaoru. [I hope Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano are alright.]

"Hai" replied Saitou. Saitou continued to examine the room without looking back at Kenshin's Tanuki Girl. A bundle of of cloth caught Saitou's eye. He when over to it a picked it up. He gave it a shake and a cloud of dust rose into the air.

"A blanket, thank kami-sama." said Kaoru.

"There is only one Kamiya-san, we will have to share." said Saitou.

"Uh. . . Hai." said Kaoru uneasily.

Saitou could tell that she was uneasy. He was not happy about it either, but he couldn't let a Kaoru freeze. {Tokio would kill him or worse leave him.} Inwardly he shuttered at the thought. Of course if she found out about sleeping next to Kaoru could cause the same result. Despite the forced nature of their being in this cabin, Saitou could not shake a slightly guilty feeling. {Kamiya-san is almost young enough to be my daughter. How to approach this.} thought Saitou

Kaoru watched Saitou. He was almost done his horrid smelling cigarette. [How can he stand those?] thought Kaoru. [I am such a fool for insisting on coming on this trip. Just because Sano and Yahiko were going I felt I had to go. I can't believe Enishi escaped from jail and then he kidnaped Tsubame. So Saitou came to recruit Kenshin's help in to capture Enishi. Then of course Yahiko wanted to go because Tsubame is his girlfriend. Kenshin agreed to help Saitou, then Sano said he wanted to come, and since everyone else was go I wanted to go. Saitou told us that only he and Kenshin were going. We spend several minutes arguing about it. After a while though Saitou just agree to all of us going since he just wanted to get going after Enishi. Then in the pass after several hours of walking. There was that avalanche that separated us from Kenshin, Sano and Yahiko. We could see them on the other side of the now cleared ravine luckily but Saitou and I had to try and find a new way around. I hope Tsubame is ok. That Enishi if he harms her I will . . . I will KILL HIM.] raged Kaoru.

Saitou felt the sudden surge from Kaoru's Ki. {interesting I wonder what she thinking about.] Saitou shivered. He was cold and his clothes were wet as was Kaoru. [We can't sleep in these clothes.] Saitou undid his belt and removed his Katana, and began to undo his pants.

"Saitou what are you doing?" said Kaoru both blushing and wide eyed.

Saitou stopped for a moment. Saitou thought {I guess it is weird to just have someone undress you don't know undress in front of you.} "we have to get out of these wet clothes or we will not keep warm during the night." Saitou took his pants and off. He then laid on the floor facing away from Kaoru. "If we sleep back to back we will keep warm enough in the blanket.

  
  


[well that is logical.] Kaoru removed her hakama and Kimono. Then she laid with her back to Saitou. He was warm. They arranged the blanket around themselves. [His back is so warm. It feels so weird here with him. Only a few months ago he was trying to kill Kenshin in my own dojo. He is not quite emotionless but nothing ever seems to bother him. Maybe ice water runs through his veins rather than blood. 

"Good night Saitou."

"Good night Kamiya-san"

Kaoru quickly fell asleep. Saitou could feel the warmth of her back against his. He briefly looked at his bed partner for a moment. Saitou was amazed by her endurance and perseverance. {When we met those months ago I saw her as the hysterical girl trying to save Battousai from me. I thought she was some normal hysterical land lady/girlfriend of Battousai. Never have I been so wrong about anyone in my life. She came to Kyoto just to see him one last time. She managed to hold her own against the members of Shishio's band the came knocking on Aiokyo door. Although this trip which must be like re living the nightmare of Enishi capture of her shortly after Shishio's mess. Enishi must die this time even if he has to do it my custody after Battousai and I capture him. Aku Soku Zan after all.} Saitou feel asleep almost in spite of himself. 

Saitou awoke from his slumber it was still dark and a woman was holding him, "Tokio" he whispered. {that night wasn't it so long ago. such a night of . . . wait this cabin is not right!} He looked over his shoulder and saw Kaoru's face with an expression of sorrow on her face. He tried to gently extract himself from her grip. 

"No Kenshin don't go again." muttered Kaoru in her sleep. She gripped Saitou tighter.

{She is strong.} though Saitou.

"No Kenshin you can't leave, I . . . I . . . I . . .lo . . .I love you, Kenshin!" said Kaoru in her sleep, a few tears fell from her eyes running down her arm to Saitou's shoulder.

{ I glad no one is here to see this. Tokio would kill him. She feels so nice next to me. Wait, Battousai's girl yes Battousai my rival from the Ishin shi shi. The man that at some point I must defeat. I wonder if he has figured out that Kaoru feels about him. It cannot be that hard to figure it out. I mean she came all the way to Kyoto just to see Kenshin one more time. If he does why does he play this boarder and landlady farce. Maybe, he doesn't lover her. If that was the case he has taken advantaged of her.} A trickle of rage coursed thought Saitou at that thought. {He must die if that is the case. Aku Soku Zan! But if he does love her than what holds him back.} while he wondered about this, Kaoru's tears made his shoulder wet. Saitou managed to drift back to sleep.

Kaoru awoke with a start, she was holding someone. [Kenshin? . . .No too tall and muscular.] the fog of the sleep lifted from Kaoru [Oh yeah Saitou . . . Saitou?! Kaoru nearly jumped out of bed. She blushed and turned away from him. She checked on the clothes there were could, Saitou's were dry hers were mostly dry but not entirely dry.

"Kamiya-san are they dry." asked Saitou

"Yours are mine are still a little damp."

"Well we can wait a bit then." said Saitou [I rather leave now but I can't let you get sick.]

"No, there is no time to waste." said Kaoru as she began to put on her clothes

{She is stubborn as that Ahou, Sano. But she is a lot more sensible.} though Saitou "All right then, let us go then." Saitou picket up his clothes and put them. He stopped at his tunic and then draped it over Kaoru's shoulders. "It would not do if you caught a cold."

"What about you?" asked Kaoru. [how can he be so nice all of the sudden.]

"I be fine. Let us just get going, we need to find Battousai, the Brat and Ahou so we can . . . Deal with Enishi." 

[Deal with him? I guess that Saitou's way of saying kill.] thought Kaoru.

Saitou refolded the blanket and then Saitou and Kaoru left to walk in the mountain sunshine.

Owari


	2. Aku Soku Zan

Saitou and Karou Chapter Two

  
  


[thoughts] ['Battousai thoughts']

  
  


Author's notes: Gomen nasei! I am sorry this took so long. I was meaning to write this second chapter for Saitou and Karou Blanket Story for a while but I had forgotten about it. I lost track of it over time, but here it is [serves me right for putting too much story into the setup.].

  
  
  
  


Saitou watched as Karou walked ahead. [She doesn't seem cold. Well the sun should make short work of what little dampness that remains in her clothes. I wonder how Battousai did last night?]

  
  


**********back to the night before*******************

  
  


Inside a cave Yahiko, Sano and a pacing Kenshin are around a fire trying to dry the clothes except for Kenshin who looks stressed to say the least.

"Oh, I hope Karou is alright. I couldn't stand it if she was hurt. I mean I couldn't take losing her!" nearly cried Kenshin. 

"Kenshin I'm sure she is fine after all, she not alone she with Saitou." remarked Yahiko in an attempt to calm Kenshin down.

"What if they can't start a fire, I mean Saitou and Karou . . . AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" the golden eyes of Battousai come full force out as Kenshin charged out of the cave into the snow-covered night.

"Kuso! What is wrong with him?" asked Yahiko

"Come on Yahiko we can't let him get lost!" said Sanosuke as he gets up. {I guessing his last though was Jo-chan sleeping next to Saitou. Not a pretty picture especially when you haven't done it yourself}

"I not going back in that snow!" said Yahiko with crossed arms.

"Yes you are." said Sano as he picks Yahiko up by the back of Kimono and drags him out. "Kenshin, stop this madness!" shouted Sano.

"Karou I am coming!" shouted Kenshin ignoring Sano. Kenshin charges into the blizzard.

"KUSO! Stubborn baka! I can't even see him now!" said Sano "I guess we better go back to the fire Yahiko." Sano walks back to the cave. Yahiko follows behind.

"Sano? Why is Kenshin so pissed off?" asks Yahiko

"Because Karou might be sleeping next to Saitou."

"Oh." responded Yahiko "Is that a big deal?"

"Perhaps Yahiko, get some rest we got to find them all in the morning and then rescue Tsubame."

  
  


"Do you think Tsubame is ok?" asked Yahiko with concern.

"Yeah, she is fine. She is just bait to get Kenshin to come to Enishi." Sano ruffles Yahiko's hair. "Now get some sleep."

Sano's words do little to remove Yahiko's worry for Tsubame

******************

Kenshin charged into the snow, golden eyes of Battousai sparkling in the moon light. The snow kept falling and the wind picked up after thirty minute of charging through the snow Kenshin found the ravine that they had crossed. He stared across it. The falling snow fell lazily in his vision. Even Battousai knew that it was futile to try and get around the ravine. Kenshin screamed "Saitou if you have harmed her I WILL KILL YOUUUU!"

His voice echoed along the ravine. Kenshin stood a rage for a moment more. Then he followed his own tracks back to the cave. Sano was sitting up next to the sleeping form Yahiko covered by a blanket.

"It never occurred to me to asked what you were carrying Sano. I didn't think you had blankets." said Kenshin, his eyes flashing between purple and yellow.

"Yeah well . . . It was Jo-chan's idea. She had me grab the winter blankets since there were wrapped up in the store room. Look, Kenshin, I know you are worried but I sure Karou is alright. You shouldn't worry about that asshole, Saitou, I mean he is not the kind of man that would harm a lady. Think about it, Saitou probably not a bad choice, he knows how to survive." said Sano carefully.

"Perhaps." Was Kenshin reply.

Sano tossed a blanket at Kenshin "Here, let's try and get some sleep." 

"Aa" replied Kenshin. Kenshin sat in his classic Battousai sleeping position.

Sano shivered and not because the cold. "Gee, how long is he going to be Battousai."

Both Sano and Kenshin found sleep.

***********back to the daytime********

Kenshin and Sano are following the ravine along trying to see if it crossed somewhere else or if they have to go all the way down the mountain to find a place where they get across to search for Karou and Saitou. Kenshin's eyes are still a golden hue as he mutters under his breath. Sano looks at him with concern. He has never seen Kenshin as worked up as this. They come across a rope bridge that cross the ravine. Kenshin quickly dashes across it as if he was walking across a wide road. He then dashed back toward the mountain.

"Hey Kenshin, wait up!" shouts Sano. "Kuso, he is just leaving us behind."

Both Yahiko and Sano cross the bridge tracking Kenshin by his foot prints.

Kenshin charged forth his eyes still golden, up toward where the other bridge had been wiped out. Soon he could see Karou and Saitou. "KAROU!" said Kenshin running up to her.

[He called me Karou? Why?] thought Karou. Then she saw the golden eyes of Battousai. [I thought he was gone forever.] "Kenshin?" remarked Karou.

"Karou." Kenshin hugged Karou "Are you alright Karou?" asked Kenshin.

"Hai, Kenshin." [I never though Battousai liked me. Baka, Battousai is Kenshin] thought Karou.

Kenshin shot Saitou an evil look for good measure. Saitou smirked.

[He worked up, I never felt him so charged his ki is nearly over whelming. Ah too bad a fight now would be so counter productive.] thought Saitou. "Battousai" said Saitou noting the irony in his nick name for Kenshin "We have to find Enishi and save your little waitress."

Kenshin looks at Saitou with his golden eyes. "Aa."

"Kenshin are you alright?" asked Karou.

Kenshin punches himself in the face. "I am fine." his violet eyes are back. "The Bridge is this way Sano and Yahiko are waiting there." Everyone walks back the way Kenshin came and meets with Sano and Yahiko.

"Nice to see you, Jo-chan are you alright?" asks Sano

"I am fine" replies Karou.

"Nice to see you again, Busu." remarks Yahiko

"You'll pay for that when we get home Yahiko-chan." says Karou angrily. "We have to save Tsubame."

"Don't call me CHAN!" yells Yahiko.

They all start resuming the path they were tacking before they got separated. After several hours walking the found there way through a pass into a level area. A small camp ahead could be seen. 

"That must be Enishi's camp." says Sano.

"What was your first clue rooster head?" said Saitou

"Hey this isn't doing any good." says Karou hopping to stop the fight between Saitou and Sano before it started. "Kenshin can you see Tsubame?"

"Eii, she probably in one of the tents." said Kenshin

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go save her." said Yahiko.

"Hey, we need a plan." remarked Sano.

Everyone looks at Sano funny.

"Nani?" replied Sano.

"Never mind, there no really way to do this other than walk up and challenge Enishi." remarks Kenshin

"I suppose you are right this time, Battousai." said Saitou.

The group of them approaches the Camp. A small man spots them and he dashed into the biggest tent to warn Enishi. By the time Saitou, Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano, and Karou drew close Enishi has gathered his forces around him in the centre of the camp. Tsubame is tied up with rope near Enishi.

"So Battousai you have come to take my sister away. I won't let you! No again!" remarked Enishi.

[He gets crazier ever time, Tsubame doesn't even look like Tomoe.] thought Kenshin.

"Let her go, Enishi, she not you sister." stated Kenshin.

"Never" Enishi turns toward Tsubame "Onee-chan they want to take you away but I won't let them."

"Enishi, You are under arrest for kidnapping, Murder in the First degree, assault with intent to kill, resisting arrest, treason, and being a danger to society. Do you surrender?" asked Saitou.

"Kuso you don't expect him to do you?" mutter Sano.

"I answer to do one I must have my revenge! Attack!" said Enishi. All of his twelve men attack the Kenshingumi. The first guy that rushes Saitou Greatly under estimated Saitou speed and quickly found Saitou's Katana in his mid section. Saitou barely pulled the blade out before the second man's Katana came crashing toward Saitou's head. Saitou manages to parry it. One man attacked Yahiko who dodges out of the way and brings his shinia on the back of that fools neck. Only to have it cut down by the next man's Katana. Yahiko dodges under the swing and kneed the man in the balls. The man collapsed in pain. Three guys and Enishi are fighting Kenshin. Kenshin is left on the defensive as the four men keep him from attack. Kenshin keeps parrying all of their attacks. Karou has her hands full fighting two other men. She is doing not bad considering each parry take a chunk out of her bokken. She slashes at one of the men getting under his guard. A crack can be heard as Karou's Bokken breaks some ribs. The man collapsed and Karou's bokken, stressed to the max, breaks. The second man slash is barely dodged as Karou slips and falls in the snow. The man starts and overhand slash and there is a flash of steel as Saitou's Katana found it way in the man's chest just left of centre. Kenshin managed to defeat one of the four men fighting him but Enishi has done a bit of number on Kenshin as a couple small cuts on Kenshin's left arm. Saitou still has one guy attacking him. Yahiko was caught in the grip of his fallen foe, who screaming at him in a high voice. Sano was holding his own against Enishi men. His high kick just downed one of them. Kenshin knocks one of the men fighting him but the second shoots him with a revolver from behind. It hits him in the shoulder and Kenshin falls to the ground in shock. A haze cloaked Kenshin vision. Karou sees Enishi prepared for a slash that will finish of Kenshin.

"Kenshin!!!" Screams Karou as she grabbed the nearest weapon and slashes it at Enishi covering ground at inhuman speed. She watched as in slow motion Enishi turns to face her, the Katana in her hand seemingly slowly moved through the air catching in Enishi's neck cut through it. Enishi's head with a look of shock slowly tumbled through the air landing only a few feet from Yahiko's face. A moment of absolute silence gripped everyone and Karou slow raised to the blade to eye level. [I killed him] thought Karou.

A scream went through the air "She killed the boss." The mobile members of Enishi's crew flee in terror. Through the haze of pain Kenshin watch as his love killed Enishi, as his love saved him again, this time not from himself but from his past. "Karou." Kenshin strained to get up.

Karou watched as the Enishi's blood ran down the blade. A sort of morbid fascination gripped her as the blood of the man she killed dripped through the tsuba of the Katana and onto her hand. Then she saw Kenshin struggling to get up. And she dropped the Katana on the ground and ran toward him. She embraced him. "Kenshin, are you alright?"

"Hai, Karou are you?" asked Kenshin

"I . . . I am not sure." said Karou.

Saitou flicked the blood from his blade, it was reflex more than anything as his shocked mind just couldn't comprehend what just happen. Sano looked at Kenshin Karou in an awed kind of shock. Yahiko stared at Enishi's head. Too numb to even noticed no one was holding him. Tsubame simply passed out into the snow. Moments passed like hours. Saitou was the first to snap out of his stupor. [She actually killed him, simply amazing.] "Kamiya-san we need to attend to Battousai's wound and then deal with the rest of these fools."

"Huh? Oh, yes of course Saitou-san." she let go of Kenshin enough to start checking his wounds.

['Say it you fool! Say it! She just save you life'] said Battousai in Kenshin's head.

"Karou . . . I love you." said Kenshin.

Karou stopped looking at his wounds for a moment, leaned in and kissed Kenshin on the lips. She broke the kiss and said "I love you too Kenshin." Then she when back to attending to Kenshin wounds. Saitou moved and put a pot on the fire filling it full of snow. "Hey kid find something we can use a bandages."

Saitou's use of kid snapped Yahiko's attention from Enishi's head as he started to look for bandages. Sano snapped out and when and picked Tsubame out of the snow. He then entered on of the tents looking for a blanket for Tsubame. [Karou killed Enishi?] though Sano. He continued to fight with the thought as he wrapped a cold looking Tsubame in the blanket. 

"Sagara-san?" asked Tsubame

"Hai, Tsubame-chan." responded Sano.

"Did Karou-san kill Enishi?"

"Hai . . ." replied Sano.

"Oh, I was hoping it was a bad dream." said a sad Tsubame

[A bad dream, it seem all too much like a bad dream] thought Sano.

Yahiko handed Karou some bandages he had found in one of the tents. Karou bound the cuts that Kenshin had on his left arm.

"Karou, are you alright" asked Yahiko.

"I not quite sure." said Karou a matter of a factly. [The truth is I don't feel anything. I killed Enishi and it not bothering me. I violated my father's beliefs and all I can think is that he understand. Would you be mad at me? I can't help but feel that you would understand, but can everyone else understand that?]

Saitou watched Karou as her gentle hands attended to Battousai's wounds. [Shouldn't she be crying or something? I mean when I fought Battousai she was balling her eyes out. She always struck me as such an emotional girl, and her she is acting like nothing happened. Even as the head of her foe lays only twenty feet from her.] though Saitou.

Sano and Tsubame came out of the tent Tsubame wrapped in a blanket.

[Shouldn't she, well be freaking out?] though Sano [I mean she killed someone I mean even if it was Enishi. I mean I never killed anyone and here sweet, pure Karou-chan has killed Enishi and doesn't even look fazed.]

Tsubame looked at Karou with tears in her eyes. [She came with Kenshin to save me, and she killed Enishin. She killed him.] thought Tsubame. She fell to her knees as started to cry. Sano wraps his arms around her "There, there Tsubame it all over now." said Sano. 

Yahiko walks over to Tsubame "Tsubame-chan are you alright?"

"You came too Yahiko-kun?" said a still sobbing Tsubame.

"Of course." said Yahiko trying to drive away his shock with bravo.

Karou walked up to Tsubame "We be able to go home soon Tsubame-chan."

"That is good Karou-san." said Tsubame not looking at Karou.

Karou sighed [It begun hasn't it.]

['I still can't believe that our little Karou had that kind of fighting spirit.'] said Battousai in Kenshin head. [No, I guess I didn't] thought Kenshin

"Saitou what happens now?" asked Karou

Saitou smiled a genuine smile "we go home, have a bath and live our lives."

"I mean what about me?" asked Karou.

"What about you Kamiya-san? You go home too."

[What she thinks she has to got to jail for saving me?] though Kenshin ['that wouldn't be fair I won't allow it.'] Kenshin's eyes switch to golden colour.

"But I killed Enishi? Shouldn't I be punished?" said Karou in matter of fact tone.

[Jail? That doesn't seem fair] thought Sano.

[Karou killed Enishi to protect her love, Could I do the same?] thought Tsubame.

[Hey! Wait one minute! No one take Busu away because she kill that bastard Enishi, not If I have something to say about it.] thought Yahiko.

Saitou looked at the faces looking at him. [Battousai was slipping to his old self, the younger looks like she trying to puzzle something out, Rooster head looks slightly confused and Kamiya-san thinks I am going to arrest her.] Saitou started to laugh. Now everyone looked cross at him. 

"Hey what the fuck is so funny dick head!" said Sano.

"All of you, it just soo funny!" Saitou laughs for a couple more minutes as everyone starts to get slightly more agitated. Saitou manages to stifle his humour. "Never fear Kamiya-san, There is no need to arrest you, you have done nothing illegal. You killed him in defence of another, Battousai. Further, Enishi is an escaped criminal and wanted by the law for a number of crimes that he committed while on the run. It is clear to me, though apparently not to you that such action cannot be considered murder of any sort. Kamiya-san we can all go home. I will see that this mess is cleaned up. Do not concern yourself with it any longer and take comfort it the fact that Enishi shall never bother those you care about ever again. Aku Soku Zan after all."

Karou looked at Saitou and nodded. "Come on everyone let go home." said Karou.

With that they all began to gather their things so that they could travel down the mountain. After they gather everything the started down the mountain Kenshin and Karou holding hand all the way. As they travelled Tsubame pondered the question would she kill to save someone she cared about.


End file.
